Eagle fight in Jigawa governorship election

With the countdown to the governorship and state houses of assembly elections billed to hold on Saturday, BAYO ALABIRA examines the chances of the key contenders in Jigawa state. He reports that the contest promises to be an epic fight between the PDP’s candidate and his APC rival.

The real eagle fight is yet to be seen in Jigawa state between the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Malam Aminu Ibrahim Ringim, and his counterpart of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Badaru Abubakar Talhamis, who are the only strongest contenders in next Saturday’s governorship election.

This is because the two candidates are the only ones that can lock horns in the Saturday April 11, 2015 for governorship election. While their parties, PDP and the APC will exhibit the show of strength to grab the state Assembly and the House of Representatives seats in the state.
It would be recalled that the election into the House of Representatives was suspended in Jigawa state due to short fall of the sensitive materials. Although there are other parties that can take part in the election but their strength and popularity is nothing to write home about considering their past performances.

However, it is expected that the fight between the APC and PDP is going to be tougher this time in view of the presidential and National Assembly elections results. Having performed very well, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has every reason to think of clearing the governorship, and state houses of assembly seats while the outgoing ruling Peoples Democratic (PDP) is also trying by all means to retain the coveted governorship seat plus those of the state assembly.

During the last presidential election, APC scored the total of 885,988 votes to defeat the PDP which polled the total of 142,904 votes to place second.

According to the Presidential Electoral Collation Officer in Jigawa state, Professor James Ayatse, who is also the Vice Chancellor of the Federal University in Dutsin-Ma, Katsina state, the result from the 27 local government areas indicated that the APC was leading.
In Taura local government, APC scored 35,446 votes defeated PDP with 5,304 votes. In Babura LGA APC-39,976. PDP- 6,040 while in Buji LGA APC-19,697 and PDP- 7,821 votes.

Gumel- APC got 24,513 – PDP-1655 votes, Miga- APC-20,258- PDP-7,867 votes, Kiyawa-  APC-33,015 – PDP-7,646 votes and Roni- APC-18,818, PDP-6,105 votes, respectively.

While in Yankwashi LGA APC-13,921- PDP-2,914 votes, Kazaure-APC-  29,840 votes PDP got 1,956 votes, Malam-Madori- APC-36,016 votes and PDP-1,666 votes. In Guri-APC-25,271 votes PDP 712 votes, Gagarawa-APC-17,513 votes and PDP-4,680 votes, in Gwiwa LGA APC scored 14,062 votes and PDP- 11,044 votes.

In Jahun, APC scored 40,830 and PDP-7,166 votes, Kirikasama- APC got 31,453 and PDP gained 2,506 votes. And in Maigatari- APC polled 22,418 while PDP votes were 7032, Kaugama LGA the APC has 32,992 votes then PDP made 2,103 votes among others.
In Kafin-Hausa- APC got 50,497 votes over the PDP with 3,235 votes, Garki LGA the APC polled 31,279 votes than PDP which got  9,867 votes and in Dutse  APC score was 57,880 votes and the PDP 3,297 votes, also in
Ringim- APC has 48,318 votes above the PDP which got 8,396 votes.

While in Sule-Tankar-Kar- APC has 30,721 votes and the PDP 6,569 votes, likewise in Hadeijia the APC polled 36,385 votes higher than  PDP with 215 votes. Birinin-Kudu- APC 57,463 votes PDP scored 11,372 votes,
Birniwa-APC- 28,062votes and the ruling PDP got 6,289 votes. In Auyo LGA APC has 28,840 votes against the PDP with 4,304 votes.
Also APC has swept the three Senatorial seats in the state. Honourable Sabo Muhammad Nakudu of the APC polled 237,947 votes and was declared the winner in Jigawa South West Senatorial zone.

While the incumbent, Senator Abdulmumini Zareko of the PDP scored 93,420 votes.  The  Jigawa North-East Senatorial was won by Muhammad Ubale Shitu of the APC who scored 193,950 votes to defeat Honourable Adamu Ahmad Sarara of PDP the current serving Speaker of Jigawa State House of Assembly  who scored 97,196 votes.

In Jigawa North-west senatorial zone, the APC candidates Honourable Abdullahi Abubakar won the election with the margin of 270,239 votes and the incumbent, Senator Danladi Abdullahi Sankara of PDP polled 136,574 votes respectively.
However, the two parties are well spread across the 27 LGAs with almost equal strength, the APC chieftains, Honourabl Faruk Adamu Aliyu and the Senator elect, Sabo Muhammed Nakudu said the Governorship election is going to be a walk over.

Faruk Adamu Aliyu stressed “we have already won the governorship election by the grace of God. Because the people of Jigawa state are APC, they are for change, we told them to vote for APC ‘sak’ completely, so that is what they will do. They are feed up with the PDP”.

But for the state PDP chairman, Honourable Salisu Manuda said they have planned to win “it was not only the APC supporters that came out and voted for General Mohammadu Buhari, it was everybody including our PDP supporters. So the governorship election is going to be different.

“The presidential election affected everywhere in the north. It was just like a wild fire which swept across all states in north but now our supporters have realized their mistake. They are going to vote for our governorship candidate and defend their votes. So APC should not think of defeating us”, he explained.